norwegianwife

I have to agree with aircourt. We stayed here late July as well and paid a similar rate. It simply could NOT compete with the other hotels we stayed in (which were all 4 star properties), but for the money, there is really NO room to complain. We had to change rooms because the AC unit in our first room was broken, which was fine with me, cause hotel rooms on ground floors with sliding doors that open to the parking lot FREAK me out anyway. We moved up to the second floor with a room overlooking the pool. Our expectations were low, so we were not disappointed. It is an old and dated hotel with window unit AC's, old carpet, old wallpaper, not to comfortable beds (we got a king). A solid 3 star. One thing we found shocking was the lack of knowledge of the area displayed by the front desk night guy. We asked for directions to grab something to eat. He gave us directions and sent us on our way. The guy was not only wrong, it was as if he were giving us directions from some flashback from his old hometown. It was quite comical actually. His name was Elvis which made it even more comical. In switching our rooms, Elvis took us to several different rooms within the hotel and told us what was wrong with each room and explained that when they built this hotel they forgot to add ventilation into the elevator in case we were wondering why it was so hot and oven like. He said that in 'HIGH' season rooms in this joint go for 268 bucks a night! i can assure you, if we had paid that amount of money, I would have been SO UPSET! but for 45 bucks a night plus 12 dollars, worth every penny, and the experience with Elvis was priceless. Palm Springs, deserted in the summer, is like a ghost town and Elvis fit right in.

Wow! Do we LOVE San Francisco! We checked in and asked for a 'Great room'. The woman at reception made no mention of Priceline and said 'YEs, I have a great room for you. It's a corner room'. We weren't sure what that meant, but she seemed to be doing us a favor so we smiled and said 'Thank you'. We entered the room on the 22nd floor and there was a long hallway, which gave the room a very apartment feel, turned the corner and were AMAZED. Half of the room was floor to ceiling windows! You felt like you were going to drop off into San Francisco! Amazing views. We felt so LUCKY! We didn't want to leave so we decided to order room service and enjoy the view! That should say something about the room! We put on one of the complimentary CD's into the fabulous stereo system and called roomservice. We ordered a bottle of Cabernet, about 35 dollars on the menu. Within minutes we received a call from roomservice. 'We are so sorry to make this call, but we are out of this particular wine, can we offer you a bottle of Jorden Cabernet instead for the same price?' I said, 'of course, no problem' and the man said 'Again, we are very sorry for this inconvenience, see you soon!' WOW!! so we looked up the Jorden and it was a 75 dollar bottle of wine! SCORE! Talk about incredible service! Great location in the heart of Union Square. Fabulous shopping, fabulous food. FABULOUS city! If you like Sushi, the Nikko is home to one of the number one sushi bars in the United States and was just named one of the top 25 restaurants in San Francisco out of 10,000+ restaurants. The bar only seats 9 and you have to have reservations to get a spot, but the Sushi chef is world renowned and is worth it! Our experience was great, although the people we were traveling with received a room about the size of a 'large shoebox', which actually seems to be the norm for this hotel. So my advice when checking into the Nikko, is to just flat out ask if they have any corner rooms available. YOu can lose nothing by asking and trust me, it will CHANGE your experience if your request is granted!

The Heavenly Bed. It's what the Westin is known for and this one was no different! This one topped the Marriott in Amsterdam! This was a great hotel. NO problems at check in and no mention of Priceline. Were given rooms on the 14th floor. The room overlooked a building across the street which is under construction and they work 6 days a week, so if you are sensitive to noise, just take some earplugs and you should be ok! We know they have rooms on the other side of the hotel that overlook the Pacific Ocean, but no luck scoring one of those, but then again, we didn't ask either! This hotel is right next door to a Westfield Shopping center. Great stores with a typical outdoor open layout. Quick cab ride to Sunset and all of the trendy bars. Hotel itself is a bit isolated. I think it is more suited to business travelers and the area seemed deserted on Saturday and I think it is on the fringes of Beverly HIlls. It is home to a fabulous spa. We had drinks outside by the pool. A beautiful setting. Big comfortable sofas with lamps and great tables all outside. Good background music, kind of like Buddah Bar stuff. I asked for a glass of Cabernet and was served a fabulous glass, and the bill came and I found out why it was so good, it was 17 dollars a glass! So, check the menu before you order if you don't want to spend lots of money! So overall, The WEstin was a great score on Priceline. NOthing to complain about, which is always good in a review!

This was our first stop on our trip and the first hotel we stayed in after using Priceline. The woman at reception made a reference to Priceline not including city tax, but her comment was professional and friendly. We were given a fabulous room. The bed was probably the most comfortable I have ever slept in at a hotel. Down comforter, feather pillows, feather bed. We had a view overlooking the airconditioner unit, which I could say was a 'priceline view', but our friends travelling with us had a great view overlooking a park, so I just think it was luck of the draw and that's it! Very helpful concierge who knew the city and gave very good reccomendations and helpful and attentive bellmen. Did not eat at the hotel, but everything looked good and there is a Pizza Hut on the property! All around fabulous and a GREAT price through Priceline via Savingsbarn.com. This Marriott is close to everything. We had no problems finding shopping and eating within walking distance. We stayed in July and TRUST me, you NEED a jacket. It is very chilly. and take lots of money, Amsterdam is not cheap!

my bid before the last one was 110 with a free rebid of Santa Monica...rejected and added Culver City and upped my bid to 115! Accepted. is that what you meant?

Finally! The Century Plaza Hotel And Spa Your Offer Price: $115.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $230.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $42.44 Total Charges: $272.44 Started at 80 and added free rebids to 115...last rebid was accepted! thrilled with the location and Trip Advisor reviews seem to pretty good. AS always, bid through the barn! Thanks for everyone's help!

Hmmmmm....LA is turning out to be a tough cookie! Just finished my 72 hour wait and rebid for Beverly Hills 4 star---Started at 80 and added rebid zones up to 110 and rejected.... Is there a KEY as to the ORDER you add rebid zones?? Also, will we have better luck in LA the closer we get to the dates? AND, are rates higher on weekends? I thought they were usually a little lower.... Thanks for any thoughts on this!

Congrats! Did you use the US site or the UK site? Enjoy your trip!

Also, I don't think you don't have to register with Priceline to use it. I always bid through Savingsbarn and NEVER sign in and have NEVER registered. Again, I think your problem may be bidding through the UK site. I think they know that Europeans are used to paying high prices or something!!! Not sure, but read my response to your San Fran post about bidding from Europe through the US site.... Good Luck....

Hi Porty... I too live in Europe (Oslo, NOrway) and the few times I TRIED to bid through the Priceline UK site, the rejected offers were MUCH higher than the accepted offers on the US site. I think it is easier to get a better rate through Priceline US. To ensure your credit card is accepted on the address line I always put FOR EXAMPLE: John Doe 123 Good Deal Lane (first line of address) NORWAY 0111 (2nd line of address) Oslo- (city) California- (State) 99999- (zip code) try to fit your phone number into the 10 digit US format I think Priceline's main way of communication is through email and they will only attempt to contact by phone if the email method fails. I have NEVER had any problems with this.... You should try because I feel strongly that you could get MUCH better deals through the US site.... Good Luck

yes, first try and bid thru the savingsbarn link!!!!

Got the HOtel NIkko for 80 dollars a night. Lowest published rate is 189 on their website, so very happy with it! Selected USW bid 70- rejected added South San Fran and raised to 75- rejected added Cathedral Hill and raised to 80. Accepted at the hotel Nikko. Your Offer Price: $80.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $320.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $57.36 Total Charges: $377.36

Hi Decided to go for the 4 star in Beverly Hills... Started out at 65 dollars added free rebid zones up to 95 NO SALE!!!!!!! Will keep trying!

First Offer: Your Offer Price: $45.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $90.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $17.66 Total Charges: $107.66 Great stop off point from Vegas en route to SanDiego and very cheap.....Although could have gotten a summer special rate off hotel website for 55 a night!

I think you are right. I just can't get excited about spending big bucks on a hotel in LA!!! But have every expectation of spending 80 PLUS for San Fran...hmmmm...... SOOOOO, If I bid for a 3 star upscale in the Los Angeles area I have no 'free' rebids (as I look at the Priceline star ratings for each zone) Is that right (or I can add zones with similar ratings one by one right?) So should I just start bidding at 45 and wait 3 days and try again? wouldn't mind a 3 star in BelAir, Redondo-Manhatten Beach or Santa Monica. HOw is this strategy: Bid 45 in Redondo if rejected Bid 48 and add Santa Monica...if rejected Bid 51 and add Bel Air...if rejected Bid 55 and Add Beverly Hills????? Am I starting to understand or are you guys cringing at my "strategy"???

Hello Everyone and Happy 4th of July! I need a bidding strategy for Los Angeles JUly 29 thru the 31 (2 nights). Looked on Priceline to see what their star ratings were for the city areas and there are only 3 with 4 star hotels. We are leaning towards Beverly Hills just because it seems fairly central (or not to far) to what we want for a couple of days (shopping for the girls and Universal Studios for the boys). Would go for Hollywood, but all the reviews for those hotels have not been very good. Checked rates on hotel websites and for our dates these are the rates (In Beverly HIlls)- Avalon- 219 Hilton- 375 Park Hyatt- 261 Wyndham BelAge- 170 We would like to keep it under 80 before taxes. Is this realistic given these going rates? We are not familiar with Los Angeles, so if anyone has any sugesstions for zones to bid in that offer nice hotels at cheaper rates, we are open to hearing them. (For example, not sure what 3 star UPSCALE means, but those are the options for Bel Air, Redondo and Manhatten Beach and Santa Monica Zones) As always, we appreciate any advice you with knowledge can give! Thanks so much!

Thanks everyone for your good thoughts! Based upon the fact that we merely need a place to stay for one night, I think we are going to take Aldo's advice and find something along the way from Vegas and stay the night and get up the next morning and hit the zoo and then on the LA.......... So, see you all in the LA thread! We need a place there!!!! Thanks everyone! will keep you posted as our trip develops!

I have done a little more research, and I am not sure that 50 a night before taxes is a realistic expectation for san diego in the summer????? What do yall think?? I checked rates at the La JOlla Hyatt and Islandia Hyatt and they are going for 229 and 299 a night respectively.... Any ideas what a realistic bid would be for one night in San Diego? The only important thing for us is CLEAN, SAFE and easy to get to the zoo!

Hello! First attempt with bids at 41 and 44- both rejected. closed browser and started again at 47 and rebid 2 more times up to 55 dollars and was denied. Any suggestions for other areas with good 3 stars? With the zoo being easily accessible? AS always, thankful for any input!

ok, we are going to go ahead and bid for a 3 star in the mission valley area. Our main objective is to have a place to crash on the drive in from Vegas, get a good nights sleep and check out the next morning. Would love not to spend more than 50 BEFORE taxes. Any sugestions for bidding strategy for this one? Thanks Everyone!

looks like we could go for a three star in the mission Valley area.....might be able to get a really good rate....

Thanks hoopsfan and Thereuare! Our main purpose of going to San Diego is to go to the zoo. We are driving from Vegas, sleeping in the hotel, getting up and checking out, going to the zoo and driving up to LA...So, I think, since availibility seems to be tight for these days, and we just need a place to sleep, we will find a Hampton Inn or something along the drive from Vegas and just crash there for the night! Are there any zones in San Diego that are covered on the drive in from Vegas?

Wow! So glad I found this thread! I was feeling so alone and ashamed after my experience on the TOBB!!! My offense was trying to use the Priceline UK site after my card was rejected on the US site (I live in Europe). I posted my results and went back to check later and the thread had been removed and I had a message from 'HER' in my EZInbox. I was severely chastised and told that she hoped I hadn't used them to gain information only to go and bid elsewhere. FIRST off, I didn't even know that Priceline UK was any different than the US site, isn't Priceline, Priceline? Whatever. AFter going back in forth, I asked if I had been banned, and 'SHE' replied that I was not banned, but my posts would be added after I posted a winning bid with an Amex card (she suggested I 'borrow' one from a friend!!) through their links. Maybe she doesn't realize how rude and bitchy she comes across. I would cringe at her responses to people, especially newbies who really do not know the ropes and are BOUND to make stupid moves and ask questions that seem obvious! She was just BRUTAL at times and if it had been me receiving that reply, I would have started crying!! I am glad I found this board, THEREUARE, you have made this experience so much nicer, and like other users who have posted, I will continue to bid through the Savingsbarn links to support this site and you! So, anyway, just relieved that I wasn't the only ONE who found this site and that particular woman to be unbelievably cold and rude. I don't need it, and I am sure many other people will find their way here because of it. AND I hope she does read these posts because she needs to know that her attitude and snippy remarks drive people away and more importantly, make people feel stupid and incompetent, which is NEVER ok, no matter how stressed and frustrated you may be. So concludes my ranting and raving!

Thanks for the tip Thereuare! Followed your advice and activated the links and we booked 2 rooms for 142.66 (with taxes) each at the Venetian for July 27! thanks!!!

Hi Thereuare, Of course I read your post, but there was no link there! this is what it says on my computer (i have copied and pasted with NO alteration: With the hotel's website rate at $219/nite i don't think you'll find success at the amounts you're bidding. If you want this hotel i think that a rate of $131/nite thru is going to be your best bet. So, I am sorry, but I didn't see anything to click on or a link to reference... am i missing something.....